


Got My Heartbeat Skipping

by galacticsugar



Series: tumblr prompts - ways to say i love you [6]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bad Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, anthropomorphizing scented candles, ashton is as morning person and calum's fave customer, calum is a barista, probably some swearing there's always at least a little bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29027109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticsugar/pseuds/galacticsugar
Summary: Calum still remembers the first time he came in, probably six months ago. He showed up two minutes after Calum unlocked the door and had greeted Calum with an enthusiastic "good morning!" as he stepped into the shop. It was confusing to Calum that anyone could be that alert at 6am without having had their coffee yet.***for the tumblr prompts "I was just thinking about you" and "I'll still be here when you're ready."
Relationships: Calum Hood/Ashton Irwin
Series: tumblr prompts - ways to say i love you [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138103
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	Got My Heartbeat Skipping

**Author's Note:**

> for the tumblr prompts "i was just thinking about you" and "i'll still be here when you're ready" from a kind anon!

There’s a comforting routine to Calum’s mornings working at The High Ground. He clocks in early, when the sky is still pitch black, and spends an hour by himself going through the opening checklist. He savors this time alone in the dim shop lights. Most mornings he plays music and sings along as he stocks the cups and fills the bakery case, but some mornings he prefers to work in silence, just the hum of the refrigerators keeping him company.

The store opens at six and the first customers come trickling in before any of Calum’s coworkers show up. It’s usually regulars, the same handful of early birds day after day. Calum knows most of their orders by heart, except there’s one guy who’s always switching it up on him. 

Calum still remembers the first time he came in, probably six months ago. He showed up two minutes after Calum unlocked the door and had greeted Calum with an enthusiastic _good morning!_ as he stepped into the shop. It was confusing to Calum that anyone could be that alert at 6am _without_ having had their coffee yet.

He didn’t have much time to ponder it, though, because the guy sidled up to the counter like he owned the place and gave Calum a disarming, expectant grin. Some people have smiles that seem flirty all the time, even in the most mundane situations. Calum can’t explain it - it’s just this innate thing that certain people have, a charisma or a twinkle in their eye that makes their smile feel like a secret. This guy had one of those smiles. It made Calum disoriented and fluttery, but in a nice way. 

“Morning. What can I get for you?” Calum had asked, rushing to tighten his apron and pin on his name tag. 

Usually customers know exactly what they want, or they spend a few seconds with their eyes scanning the menu board; maybe they ask Calum a fuckton of questions about how much milk is in a toffee latte and what’s the difference between a macchiato and a cappuccino and can they get that sugar free. But this guy just kept smiling at Calum, and just when Calum thought maybe this guy didn’t hear him or something, he finally said, “Large cold brew.”

“Sure. Can I get a name for that?” He was on autopilot; there hadn’t really been a need to ask for this guy’s name given the completely empty store, but at this point Calum was so used to asking that he probably said it in his sleep.

“Ashton.” The guy said it with a little shake of his head, and Calum noticed his honey-colored curls and found himself hoping this wouldn’t be the last time Ashton stopped by the coffee shop.

Calum rang up the order and started making the drink, and Ashton had watched him carefully from the other side of the counter. Normally this sort of behavior would make Calum anxious and annoyed - he hates when customers watch him like they’re just waiting for him to mess up. But there was nothing about Ashton’s energy that suggested he was worried Calum was going to screw up his order, so Calum found he didn’t mind being watched as he poured cold brew into a plastic cup and snapped a lid on it.

He slid it across the counter to Ashton. “Large cold brew for my favorite customer so far today.”

Ashton’s smile returned in full force, accompanied by a high-pitched chuckle that made Calum’s stomach swoop. “Thank you -” he paused to peek at Calum’s name tag. “Thank you, Calum. Is it always this quiet in here this time of day?”

“Yeah. Usually doesn’t pick up until seven or so.”

“Huh. You’re right on the way to my new office. Guess I know my new favorite coffee shop.” 

“Why are you going into the office at 6am?” Calum asked. His face burned a little after the question slipped out. Ashton’s work schedule was not really any of his business.

But Ashton had just given Calum an embarrassed smile and a small shrug. “I like going in early when it’s quiet and there’s no one to distract me.” Calum can relate. 

“Plus I get to leave early,” Ashton continued, “and it’s really fun walking out the door while all my coworkers have another two hours of work to look forward to.” He took a sip of his cold brew, and Calum noticed the sun had started coming up, casting a deep golden glow over the floor of the shop, the exact same color as Ashton’s drink.

“That’s the exact same reason why I like opening here.”. 

Ashton nodded and raised his cup, turning toward the door. “A man with taste. I’ll see you tomorrow, Calum!”

The encounter had left Calum smiling, but he didn’t think much of it; didn’t even really expect to see Ashton again. But then he showed up the next morning, a mischievous grin on his face as he placed his order for “Calum’s favorite thing on the menu.” Calum had felt immense pressure, because his favorite thing on the menu was the dirty ginger chai and he was afraid it would be a bit over-the-top for someone who had ordered a straight cold brew the previous morning.

“Are you sure you want to trust me with this?” he asked, writing Ashton’s name on an empty cup even though the store was once again empty. “It’s pretty damn sweet.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Ashton chuckled and shook his head furiously, as if he was trying to dislodge a thought from his brain. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Calum has no idea if Ashton ended up liking the dirty ginger chai or not, but he kept trusting Calum to surprise him with different drinks every day after that, so he must not have hated it. 

Now Calum can’t remember a time before Ashton was part of his routine. It just goes without saying that Ashton will come through the door every morning between 6:02 and 6:11, and Calum will stop what he’s doing and start making him a drink; whatever feels right that day. He prides himself on anticipating Ashton’s vibe for the day and choosing something that will put a smile on his face when he takes the first sip.

He’s learned a lot about Ashton these past six months. He knows that when Ashton says _morning_ instead of _good morning!_ , he’s tired and he needs something with an extra kick of caffeine. He knows that when Ashton’s face is covered in stubble it’s because he’s running behind or feeling overwhelmed, and he needs something sweet as a treat. He knows that when Ashton leans a hip on the counter as he orders, it means he’s got some spare time and he plans to spend a few minutes chatting with Calum before he heads to work, so Calum goes all out to make him a drink worth talking about.

And it’s not just drinks. It’s actually a little frightening how well you can get to know a person just through spending a few minutes a day with them. Calum knows Ashton’s favorite song and the names of his siblings; knows that he likes to light scented candles to help him relax when he gets home from work and that he fancies himself a good cook but doesn’t have anyone to cook for. 

It’s a strangely intimate amount of information to know about someone who tips you every day, but Calum collects every little tidbit of knowledge and tucks it into a safe corner of his brain. He finds himself randomly thinking, _Oh, Ashton would probably like this song!_ as he listens through his Spotify Discover Weekly, or wishing he could text Ashton to ask him what kind of spice would work best for the black bean enchiladas he’s attempting to make for dinner.

It was inevitable that Calum would eventually slip up in front of Ashton. He’s cleaning up the dining room a few minutes after opening - it’s not normally part of his opening responsibilities, but the night shift was absolutely the B Team and they had completely slacked on clearing and wiping tables the night before. Calum comes across a catalog on the table in the corner, the kind of thing rich white ladies order throw pillows and jewelry from. The front page is a photo of cinnamon vanilla scented candles, and Calum wonders if Ashton would like them.

The bell chimes over the door and Ashton walks in as Calum is still bent over the catalog. “Good morning, Cal!” Ashton’s well-rested and clean-shaven, so it’s probably a flat white kind of day.

“Morning, Ash. I was just thinking about you,” Calum says, holding the catalog out to Ashton with a smirk.

Ashton takes it with a smile and a pleased quirk of his eyebrows, but his smile drops into a confused frown when he looks at the cover. 

“I was wondering if you’d be into cinnamon vanilla. Since you like scented candles,” Calum clarifies, cheeks turning pink as he realizes how extremely weird and creepy he probably sounds.

“Oh!” Relief washes over Ashton’s face. “I thought you were about to recruit me for a pyramid scheme and that was going to be really awkward.”

Calum laughs and steps behind the counter to start on Ashton’s flat white. “Nah. Just wanted to check and see if you needed me to get you some candles next time I put in an order for seasonal throw pillows.”

Ashton chuckles at Calum and studies the catalog more carefully. “Cinnamon vanilla,” he ponders, tapping at his chin. “I’m pretty sure I’d like cinnamon vanilla.” He looks up to meet Calum’s eyes. “I’m just not sure if cinnamon vanilla likes me.”

Calum purses his lips, a little mystified, but Ashton’s always saying weird stuff, so he’s used to it at this point. Likes it, even, because it’s something interesting in his otherwise predictable day. “I’m sure cinnamon vanilla would love you,” he replies confidently.

Ashton leans closer to the counter, eyes wide and earnest. “I guess maybe I could ask cinnamon vanilla on a date, see how it goes before I commit to bringing it home.” 

Okay, Ashton says weird things sometimes, but it is very possible they are no longer talking about candles at this point. “Maybe you should,” Calum says, hands shaking slightly as he adds a pump of vanilla syrup to Ashton’s cup. He sees Ashton’s grin out of the corner of his eye. 

“I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“To ask cinnamon vanilla on a date?” Calum asks, glancing at Ashton as he pours steamed milk.

“Yeah. I need caffeine before I can be that bold.” 

That’s something Calum can definitely help with. He adds a dash of cinnamon to the top of the drink before he slides it across the counter to Ashton.

“Cinnamon vanilla flat white for you,” he says urgently. He feels incredibly cliche about it, but how else is a barista supposed to flirt with a customer?

Ashton’s eyes light up and he greedily scoops up the drink. “That’s not on the menu.”

Calum waves him off. “Cinnamon vanilla wanted to make sure you knew it was interested.”

“Huh.” Ashton nods, eyeing Calum thoughtfully. “Maybe I’ll sit and stay for a bit while I drink it.”

“While you caffeinate,” Calum clarifies.

Ashton nods. “While I caffeinate.”

“Cool.” Calum snatches a rag off the counter to wipe down the espresso machine. “I’ll still be here when you’re ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> i'm on tumblr [@staticsounds](https://staticsounds.tumblr.com/); come say hi!


End file.
